8/31/2015

Hola,

Well, if you've been keeping count, you've probably realized that six weeks have come and gone, and that can only mean one thing, changes.  Things have been changing pretty drastically here the last couple of months.  At the start of this year we had over 180 missionaries.  If I'm not mistaken this cycle we'll have about 150.  Needless to say, they've been closing a lot of areas.  In fact, it seems that they are going to be combining our zone with another.  So they're taking out both of the zone leaders from our ward and they are going to be putting in two normal missionaries.  Elder Cory also has changes, and is going to Chalco.  And that leaves me.  Yep, as weird as it seems, I'm staying for another cycle here in Buena Vista, making it my area where I've lasted the longest.  And I have to guide everybody a bit, since I'm the only one with time here in the ward.  As of yet, I don't know who I'm going to be with, but I'll let you know what happens.  I must admit, I am happy that I get to stay a bit longer here.  And I'm glad that I don't have to pack my suitcases.

Other than that, everything is pretty much the same here.  We went to the temple again on Wednesday, and it's still beautiful.  This time the tour seemed about half as long as the first time.  The guide hardly talked this time through.  Still, it was a good trip.  We also found a couple more investigators this week.  The Lord, it seems, is sending a bunch of non-member family members to live with members of the ward.  One couple came this week from Guerrero, a state to the south of where we are.  They decided to change due to some cartel problems, and needed to choose between two relatives, the brother or the sister of the wife.  They ended up coming to live with her brother, who happens to be the only member in his family.  They seem pretty interested, and came to church this week, so we'll see what happens with them.  Another man came to live with his brother and sister in law last week.  He is one of those golden investigators dipped in platinum and topped off with some diamonds.  He has come two weeks in a row to church, and says that he enjoys it a lot.  We had a church tour (I think that's what they call it in English.  It's visita guiada in Spanish.) with him this week, and he asked us if we have hot water for the baptismal font.  Jokingly we said that we don't, that we baptize in ice water.  He said that he was OK with that, so it seems he wants to get baptized.  I'll keep you updated on what happens with them.

That's about it for news from me this week.  I hope things calm down for you soon in school.  And if you have to do jury duty, remember that he's guilty of something, so you can just vote guilty.  (That's actually a terrible idea.  That's why they've never put me on jury duty.  And the fact that I'm currently in Mexico.)  Follow the facts and the spirit I guess.

Ok, that's about it for me.  I love you, and I'll write you next week.

Love,

Elder Samuel Long